Returning to work
Study options if you have children
These days there are many flexible ways to study, which you can fit around your childcare. Take a look at the options below to see if there is one that suits you.
Can I study at my own pace?
You can study all sorts of courses away from the classroom, which is known as self-study. This could be useful if you need to be at home to look after your children, or if you cannot commit to the same time each week.
Self-study can mean:
- flexible learning, where you book time at a learning centre when convenient for you
- open learning, which is a mixture of home study and face-to-face learning at a college or community centre
- home study, where you only attend a learning centre to sit any exams
You can also search for self-study courses in our course directory. Just click Self Study in the ‘Study type’ section.
Can I learn at work?
You can ask your line manager, union rep, human resources or training department about:
For information about flexible working for parents and family friendly policies, visit Working Families and the work-life balance section of the Directgov website.
Can I learn alongside my children?
The option to learn with your children is becoming more widely available, with family learning sessions taking place in many colleges, schools, libraries and community learning centres.
Sessions are designed to be fun and allow you to help with your children’s education, as well as giving you the chance to learn new skills at the same time. Various courses are available in subjects such as computers, working with numbers, and reading and writing.
Contact your local college or adult education service for details of sessions running where you live, and check out the family learning information on the Pre-school Learning Alliance website.
Can I learn new skills to help me get back into work?
Return-to-work schemes can help you if you've taken time off to look after your children. The schemes allow you to develop new skills or brush up on existing ones that you can use to get back into work. Depending on the scheme that you are on, you may be able to get help with childcare costs.
Speak to your local Jobcentre Plus adviser about which scheme will best suit your circumstances.
